While black carbon has a large effect on snow darkening and resultant melting of snow, dust particles transported from as far as Saudi Arabia that gets deposited in the Western Himalayan Region has a large role to play in melting of snow, particularly at higher elevations.
Global warming
Climate change may reduce banana yield in India
Continued global warming may adversely affect banana yield in India by 2050. With 29% of the world's production, India is the world's biggest producer of banana. But the decline in yield can be mitigated by strong, technology-driven measures. Global warming in the last about 60 years had helped increase banana yield at annual rate of … Continue reading Climate change may reduce banana yield in India
TIFR desalinates seawater without using electricity
TIFR researchers have produced gold nanoparticles that can absorb sunlight over the entire visible region and even the near infrared light. They used such gold nanoparticles to absorb energy from sunlight to be able to desalinate seawater to produce drinking water. The gold nanoparticles can also be used for converting carbon dioxide to methane more … Continue reading TIFR desalinates seawater without using electricity
IITM Pune develops model to predict heat waves three weeks in advance
Researchers at Pune's Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology have developed a model that can predict heat waves three weeks in advance. It can predict the date of onset, duration and demise of the forthcoming spell of heat waves, with a small spatial and temporal error. The prediction system has been successfully transferred to the Indian … Continue reading IITM Pune develops model to predict heat waves three weeks in advance
Bhubaneswar shows how urbanisation can increase local temperature
While Cuttack and Bhubaneswar have become 0.5 degree C hotter due to urbanisation during the period 2001-2010, warming in smaller cities and towns has been relatively less, researchers at IIT Bhubaneswar find. How urbanisation of cities in the last decade can sharply increase the local temperature has been well documented by a recent study undertaken by … Continue reading Bhubaneswar shows how urbanisation can increase local temperature
Recognising Anthropocene as an epoch is a caution to humanity
The overwhelming vote by the Anthropocene Working Group to recognise Anthropocene as a new epoch is a grim reminder to humanity that failure to end destructive activities will irrevocably change the face of the earth and make it uninhabitable. The pervasive and long-lasting signatures of modern human activity on earth have been so striking, that … Continue reading Recognising Anthropocene as an epoch is a caution to humanity
Scientists vote to recognise Anthropocene as a new epoch
A 34-member panel of the Anthropocene Working Group voted to designate Anthropocene as the new geologic epoch. The vote signals the end of the Holocene Epoch which began 11,700 years ago. The focus is now on identifying a definitive geologic marker or golden spike to signal the beginning of the Anthropocene Epoch. On May 21, … Continue reading Scientists vote to recognise Anthropocene as a new epoch
Cutting down tailpipe emissions with e-vehicles
At nearly 55%, electricity generation in India is primarily through coal. So like in the case of the U.S and China, net reduction in carbon emission will not be much even when if there is large-scale adoption of electric vehicles in India. Still, cities and towns using electric vehicles in large numbers will see a reduction … Continue reading Cutting down tailpipe emissions with e-vehicles
A rare confluence of four events led to flooding in Kerala, IIT Gandhinagar researchers say
A deadly combination of four factors caused extensive flooding in Kerala in 2018. The State received 53% above normal summer monsoon rainfall from May to August. This together with a few extreme rainfall events covering almost the entire State, six of the seven major reservoirs with over 90% storage before the extreme rainfall events, and catchment areas of major reservoirs … Continue reading A rare confluence of four events led to flooding in Kerala, IIT Gandhinagar researchers say
Pollution reduces day time temperature during Indian summer monsoon
Increased aerosol loading in the atmosphere due to pollution has led to changes in the number, shape and characteristics of the rain-bearing clouds. The increased cloud reflectance has led to 1 degree C drop in day time temperature during Indian summer monsoon. At the same time, night time temperature is increasing thus shrinking the diurnal … Continue reading Pollution reduces day time temperature during Indian summer monsoon
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